As the value and use of information continues to increase, individuals and businesses seek additional ways to process and store information. One option available to users is information handling systems. An information handling system generally processes, compiles, stores, and/or communicates information or data for business, personal, or other purposes thereby allowing users to take advantage of the value of the information. Because technology and information handling needs and requirements vary between different users or applications, information handling systems may also vary regarding what information is handled, how the information is handled, how much information is processed, stored, or communicated, and how quickly and efficiently the information may be processed, stored, or communicated. The variations in information handling systems allow for information handling systems to be general or configured for a specific user or specific use such as financial transaction processing, airline reservations, enterprise data storage, or global communications. In addition, information handling systems may include a variety of hardware and software components that may be configured to process, store, and communicate information and may include one or more computer systems, data storage systems, and networking systems.
In many applications, one or multiple information handling systems configured as servers may be installed within a single chassis, housing, enclosure, or rack. Communication between components internal to the servers, as well as communication between two or more servers and/or between enclosures, is often accomplished via communication cables. Within a server, for example, cables may electronically connect one or more printed circuit boards (PCBs). Cables provide a lower loss mode for signal propagation compared to PCBs which makes cables a frequent design choice. Thus, communication cables are an integral part of conventional server design.
Existing single-drain and dual-drain dual-axial cables are often satisfactory to support current signal/data transfer speeds within a conventional information handling system. However, the signal/data speeds expected within newer generations of information handling systems are increasing significantly, as such speeds often double with each successive generation. Higher signal speeds result in a corresponding increase in signal integrity sensitivity to parasitic effects. Peripheral Component Interconnect Express (PCIe) communication in current generations of servers is at 16 Gbps (gigabits per second). In future generations, PCIe communication is expected to be at 32 Gbps speeds. Subtle effects that do not impact the signal performance of conventionally utilized dual-axial cables may become significant at next-generation signal speeds.